Silver or metallic gray is a colour tone resembling gray that is a representation of the colour of polished silver. The visual sensation usually associated with the metal silver is its metallic shine. This cannot be reproduced by a simple solid colour, because the shiny effect is due to the material’s brightness varying with the surface angle to the light source. In addition, there is no mechanism for showing metallic or fluorscent colours on a computer without resorting to rendering software which simulates the action of light on a shiny surface. Consequently, in art and in heraldry one would normally use a metallic paint that glitters like real silver. A matte grey colour could also be used to represent silver. The first recorded use of silver as a colour name in English was in 1481. In heraldry, the word argent is used, derived from Latin argentum over Medieval French argent.
“By The Light of the Silvery Moon” is a popular romantic song. The music was written by Gus Edwards, and the lyrics by Edward Madden. The song was published in 1909 and first performed on stage by Lillian Lorraine in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1909. It was one of a series of moon-related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era. The song was also used in the short-lived Broadway show Miss Innocence (September 27-October 9, 1909) when it was sung by Frances Farr. A popular recording in 1910 was made by Billy Murray and The Haydn Quartet. The song has been used in a great many television shows and motion pictures. A movie of the same name was released in 1953, starring DorisDay. The song was originally recorded in C major, but has since been sung in E major (Day) and A major (Jimmy Bowen).
“Silver Threads and Golden Needles” is a song written by Dick Reynolds and Jack Rhodes. It was first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1956. The original lyrics, as performed by Jackson, contain a verse not usually included in later versions, which also often differed in other minor details. In September 1962 a version by folk-pop trio The Springfields – featuring Dusty Springfield – reached no. 20 on the Billboard. It was the first single by a British group to reach the top 20 of the Hot 100.
“Silver Machine” is a 1972 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was originally released as a single in June 1972, reaching number three on the UK singles chart. The single was re-issued in 1976, again in 1978 reaching number 34 on the UK singles charts, and once again in 1983 reaching number 67 on the UK singles charts. The original mix has been re-released on the remasters version of In Search of Space. The lyrics were written by Robert Calvert and he sang the lead vocal on the original live recording. However, the vocals were considered too weak for the single release so they were re-recorded in the studio. Calvert, who suffered from bi-polar disorder, had been sectioned at the time so was unavailable to attempt another version, and the lead vocals were eventually recorded by Lemmy Kilminster.
“Hi Ho Silver Lining” is a rock song, written by American songwriters Scott English and Larry Weiss and first released as a single in March 1967 by English band The Attack, then a few days later by Jeff Beck. The Attack’s version failed to chart, while Beck’s recording reached the Top 20 of the singles chart in the UK in both 1967 and 1972, becoming his biggest solo hit. In the States, Beck’s single failed to crack the Billboard. Songwriters English and Weiss started writing a song together, with a chorus of “Hi ho silver lining”, but no verses. When producer Mickie Most heard their early version, he suggested that it would be a hit and persuaded English to complete the lyrics. According to writer and musician Bob Stanley, English wanted to record a finished version of the song himself, so decided to deter Most by writing “the most unusable, stupid lyric he could think up, about flies in pea soup and beach umbrellas”. To English’s chagrin, Most liked the song, and had Jeff Beck record it.
“Silver Star” is the lead song on the Four Seasons album Who Loves You. As was the case of all the songs on the album, it was written by Bob Gaudio and Judy Parker and produced by Gaudio. Drummer Gerry Polci sang lead. Frankie Valli’s contribution was limited to harmony vocals, since he was gradually losing his hearing in the 1970s due to otosclerosis. An operation restored most of Valli’s hearing in the 1980s. The single reached #38 on the Billboard. The song was far more successful in the United Kingdom, however, reaching #3 on the singles chart.
“Silver Dagger“, with variants such as “Katy Dear“, “Molly Dear“, “The Green Fields and Meadows“, “Awake, Awake, Ye Drowsy Sleepers” and others is an American Folk Ballad, whose origins lie possibly in Britain. These songs of different titles are closely related, and two strands in particular became popular in commercial country and folk music recordings of the twentieth century: the “Silver Dagger” version popularised by Joan Baez, and the “Katy Dear” versions popularised by close harmony brother duets such as The Callahan Brothers. Ebony Buckle sang it in an episode of George Gently in 2012 but the live version is cut off abruptly and so I have also included the full version.
